Four Indian Rollers Die Despite Rescue During Dasara
The Greater Hyderabad Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GHSPCA) rescued six more Indian rollers, of which one died: Reports
Hyderabad: Wildlife rescuers from Nehru Zoological Park (NZP) and the police rescued eight Indian rollers (Palapitta) during the Dasara festival. Four birds died despite treatment, while the remaining four were released in the zoo’s garden. Zoo officials said the rescued birds were extremely weak when brought in, and several could not recover despite medical care.
The Greater Hyderabad Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GHSPCA) rescued six more Indian rollers, of which one died. The remaining five were released in the Narsapur forest on Monday. GHSPCA coordinator Soudharm Bhandari said wild birds must be released in their natural habitat. Veterinarian Dr Vishva Chaitany said the survival of rescued birds depends on health, timing, and handling. “Prolonged confinement in cages severely weakens wild birds,” he added.
Transparency Must Be Culture: Prof. Reddy
Transparency in public institutions must move beyond compliance to become a culture, Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE) chairman Prof. V. Balakista Reddy said during an online awareness session held on Tuesday as part of RTI Week 2025.
Addressing vice-chancellors, registrars, faculty and RTI officers from state universities and affiliated colleges, Prof. Reddy described the Right to Information Act, 2005, as “a cornerstone of democratic governance” that empowers citizens and strengthens accountability. “RTI is not just a legal tool but an instrument of trust between government and citizens. Transparency should be embraced, not feared,” he noted.
He discussed the constitutional foundations of the Act, citing landmark cases such as ‘State of UP v. Raj Narain’ (1975) and ‘S.P. Gupta v. Union of India’ (1982). Referring to Sections 4 and 8 of the Act, he said they balance openness with the protection of sensitive data and urged universities to proactively disclose information to reduce queries.
Prof. Reddy called on universities to share best practices and help create a common RTI handbook for higher education institutions. “Every citizen’s query is an opportunity to build trust in our processes,” he said.
TGCHE secretary Prof. Sriram Venkatesh urged universities and colleges to conduct RTI awareness programmes during the week and submit reports with photographs to the Telangana Information Commission by October 15. The session was attended by Vice-Chairman Prof. E. Purushotham and senior officials.
